I mentioned using Tapiriik to batch download my entire Garmin Connect history–over 1,000 separate .GPX files. I found several tools to convert .GPX to shapefiles that worked but none seemed to recognize my heart rate data. The trick is Garmin extends the GPX specification to incorporate the heart rate: <span style="color: #333333;">xmlns:gpxtpx="http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/TrackPointExtension/v1"</span> Each track point looks like this: 2014-03-16T20:35:47+00:00 296.20001220703125 86 gpxtpx:TrackPointExtension trkpt  Since the first few exiting GPX converters failed to meet my needs, I decided to make my own, at least partially.

This Friday Fave is a little bit different. My interest in geospatial technologies (although we just called it GIS back then) largely because I wanted to measure my running routes more accurately and efficiently than the paper map & scrap of paper method I was using in the early 90s. When I was introduced to GIS, I knew what I was going to use it for. Now that GPS technology is ubiquitous–I’m currently using four different GPS devices, at the same time, on my bike rides–I seldom have to use a map to measure my routes.

I admit, I love picking up freebie maps. Whether it is from the front desk of a hotel or from the bicycle shop, there is a certain appeal to seeing what people put on maps. I have maps organic orchards, breweries, Minnesota authors, rails to trails, zoos, fictional places, race maps, and a variety of other things that someone felt the need to cartographize.(http://thefriends.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/mn_writers_on_the_map_web_download.pdf)http://thefriends.org/ So, with all these paper maps lying around, I was thrilled to find Custom Maps, a free app on Google Play.